The past several decades have been marked by tremendous growth in the types of window covering materials that are available to purchasers. These types of window coverings include slatted horizontal blinds and fabric window coverings such as roller shades. Among the many choices of fabric window coverings, there are shade materials which are transparent to some degree or sheer, as well as shade materials which are much more opaque, keeping out a much greater degree of light and providing a greater degree of privacy than is offered by shade materials that are substantially transparent or sheer.
Many consumers prefer fabric window coverings made from sheets of material. Such window coverings have a softer and more uniform appearance than Venetian blinds. However, Venetian blinds have several advantages as well. One of the main features preferred by users of Venetian blinds is the ability to control the amount of light admitted through the blind. When the blinds are tilted so that the slats are in a closed position, little or no light is admitted through the blind. When the slats of the blind are tilted in a substantially horizontal or open position, a maximum amount of light is admitted through the blind.
Because Venetian blinds and fabric window coverings each have their own advantages, products have been offered that combine the features of both products. Typically these products are manufactured by fastening two sheets of sheer material to horizontally extending vanes or slats that connect the sheets of material. One limitation of these products is that such products are difficult to manufacture. Another limitation of these products is that the vanes or slats cannot be controlled independently from raising and lowering the sheets of material. In addition, the slats or vanes often cannot be adjusted when the window covering is in an intermediate position.
It would be desirable to provide a window covering including sheets of material and horizontal slats disposed between the sheets of material that is easier to manufacture than presently available products. It would also be desirable to provide a window covering in which the horizontal slats could be adjusted when the window covering is located at a plurality of vertical positions.